AutoHotkey Homepage AutoHotkey Community
Let's help each other out
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Keeping a file open - for an arcade game

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    AutoHotkey Community Forum Index -> Ask for Help
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
treecar



Joined: 12 Nov 2009
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:22 pm    Post subject: Keeping a file open - for an arcade game Reply with quote
I have a question, I'm pretty new to Autohotkey, and I've searched the forums for a few hours now trying to figure this out with no luck(but I did learn a lot of other cool stuff in the process.)

Here's what I'm trying to do.

I made a little video game in blender, made an arcade cabinet for it and have it all wired to the joystick controls, this part is working fine. The only problem is from time to time it crashes.

What I'm trying to do is write a script that checks to see if a particular file is currently running(mygame.exe), and if it's not then open(meaning it has crashed) it automatically re-opens the file.

I have the game on display and running at my college and I'm trying to figure out a way so I don't have to keep on going back to restart it. I know I should really re-write the program so it doesn't crash and I'm currently working on that, but my main objective is to get it working so people can play it and it doesn't break, and I was thinking Autohotkey might be the answer.

So if anyone has any ideas I would truly appreciate it.


Thanks!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Guest
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
please check help file on Settimer/loop, Process/IfWinNotExist and Run
example:
Code:

SetTitleMatchMode,2
loop
{
ifWinNotExist, Notepad
Run, notepad.exe
sleep 1000
}
 
Back to top
Leef_me



Joined: 08 Apr 2009
Posts: 1158
Location: San Diego, California
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Here is a more elaborate version
Code:
 ;======================================
; Change this parameters as desired
;======================================

external_program_name=Notepad
external_program_run=%SystemRoot%\system32\notepad.exe

check_delay=10000   ; wait before checking if program crashed

start_limit=5   ; limit the number of unsuccessful tries to open program
windows_boot_wait=30

;======================================
Settitlematchmode, 2 ; recognise partial titles

loop, %windows_boot_wait%
{
  time_left:=windows_boot_wait-a_index
  wait_msg=Waiting %time_left% seconds before starting%a_space%
  msgbox,,,%wait_msg%%a_space%%external_program_name%,1
  if time_left=1
   break
}

start_count=0


loop
{

;k:=WinExist(%external_program_name%)
;msgbox %k%

;msgbox,,, %start_count%!%start_limit%,1

  if (start_count > start_limit)
  {
    msgbox Failed to open %external_program_name% more than %start_limit% times. `nPlease contact treecar @ autohotkey`n Try again ?
    start_count=0
  }

  IfWinNotExist , %external_program_name%
  {
   msgbox,,, not present %start_count%, 1
   run, %external_program_run%

    sleep, 2000   ; wait for program to run, otherwise you could have multiple copies
    start_count++
  }
  else
  {
   msgbox,,, there it is, 1
    start_count=0
    sleep, %check_delay%  ; wait before checking if program crashed
  }

}

esc::    ; in case of emergency, press escape
exitapp
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
treecar



Joined: 12 Nov 2009
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
thanks so much for the help I truly appreciate it. One other thing I forgot to mention is when the game reloads for some reason it loses focus(the game is run in full screen mode) so what I have to do is emulate a click after the program re-starts to re-gain the focus.

So here's what I was thinking,


Code:

SetTitleMatchMode,2
loop
{
ifWinNotExist, game
Run, launch1.bat
sleep 8000
MouseClick, left,  647,  436
SoundBeep
sleep 7000
}


I put a little beep in there too so I could hear when the loop is taking place.  When I try this I hear the beep so I know the loop is going on, but for some reason the mouse click isn't being recognized.  Any ideas on why this might be happening?

Could it be because I'm running the game in a full screen mode?

I'm pretty stuck.
Code:
Code:
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Leef_me



Joined: 08 Apr 2009
Posts: 1158
Location: San Diego, California
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
Any ideas on why this might be happening?


1. Some games are difficult to control with Ahk, there may be a problem with either clicks or keys sent; or both may be ignored

2. You think you know where the mouse is clicking but it isn't the right location.
I suggest looking at the example here, that can show you the location (it uses tooltip and that info may not be visible if game is f.s.)
http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/MouseGetPos.htm
btw, mouse location is relative to the application window, unless changed with CoordMode
http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/CoordMode.htm

3. To diagnose things like this I favor visible feedback
Code:
MouseMove, 20,20, 10 ; move away from the click
MouseClick, left,  647,  436, 1, 10 ; move toward the click

4. Would this help ?
http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/WinMaximize.htm
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
treecar



Joined: 12 Nov 2009
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
[quote="Leef_me"]
Quote:
Any ideas on why this might be happening?


1. Some games are difficult to control with Ahk, there may be a problem with either clicks or keys sent; or both may be ignored

This seems to be the case, for some reason the game can receive keystrokes but not clicks, it's strange. I checked the mouse position and it seems like everything is in the right place, just for some reason it isn't taking the click.

One idea I was thinking, when the program reloads if it crashes, maybe there is a way to have it so when it reloads it keeps it as the main window in focus. I read this, but can't seem to grasp what I'm supposed to do
http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/ControlFocus.htm

It's crazy I've been working on this since 9 am and my brain is frazzled, I feel like I'm probably missing something big that's probably in front of me but can't figure it out yet
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
treecar



Joined: 12 Nov 2009
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Almost there...

So I have it so the script always checks and make sure the program is always running, and if it crashes it automatically re-opens, I also have it so when it does re-open it emulates some mouse clicks to re-gain the focus. The only strange thing is the mouse clicks don't get recognized every time the script runs. I'm wondering why this might be the case, it works about half of the time.

This is the code for the clicks

Any ideas?

Code:

Sleep 9000
Soundbeep
SendEvent {Click 645,  438}
Sleep 1000
SendPlay {Click 645,  438}
MouseClick, left,  645,  438
Sleep, 2000

SoundBeep
I put beeps in to so I can know when the code is running(because the game runs in fullscreen mode)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Guest
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
try SetKeyDelay on send clicks (make the duration longer)
Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    AutoHotkey Community Forum Index -> Ask for Help All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You can post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group